The Penmanship Lesson
by Basement Cat89
Summary: Inquisitor Talia Lavellan has settled in for a long night of paperwork. A visitor helps her get a handle on it.


_The Penmanship Lesson_

One late evening in Skyhold castle, Talia Lavellan was sitting at her desk reading various reports, requests and even some letters from her clan. Talia looked at the pile of requisitions on the side of her desk. The Inquisition's new 'stronghold' had certainly looked impressive from a distance, but upon closer inspection it was really little more than a decrepit old ruin.

She tightened her cloak around her shoulders as an icy draft blew into the room from the balcony. The crude doors were doing little to hold the chill mountain air at bay and even the fire roaring in the fireplace had little effect on the freezing atmosphere. Talia returned her attention to her paperwork and began to reply to the numerous requests awaiting her attention.

She was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. She got up from her seat and walked down the stairs to her door, wondering who could be calling on her at this hour. There was a second knock as she reached the door and opened it. It the political advisor, the Antivan woman named Josephine. "Lady Montilyet? What brings you here at this hour?" she inquired.

"I am sorry to bother you, but I saw light under the door and I assumed you had not turned it for the night yet" the dark skinned woman replied. "It's no bother, but you haven't answered my question" Talia pointed out, waiting expectantly. The Antivan held up a handful of papers and gave the Inquisitor an apologetic expression. "More paperwork, I'm afraid. The commander wants the barracks fixed as soon as possible. Apparently the roof leaks" she explained, handing the papers to Talia.

Talia let her head fall back and heaved a sigh. "At this rate it might be simpler to tear this place down and rebuild it from the ground up" she said in exasperation. Josephine began to reach out, as though intending to touch her shoulder, but she seemed to reconsider and withdrew her hand. "Well, since you are here, Lady Montilyet, would you assist me in answering some of these requisitions? I have a small mountain waiting for me upstairs" Talia suggested innocently, yet the Antivan coloured slightly at the invitation.

"Of course. I am at your service" the adviser replied and followed the Inquisitor upstairs to her study. She looked at the Inquisitor's 'desk', a glorified table really, and the rather large amount of papers teetering on top of it. "Oh dear, it does look like you could use some help" Josephine observed as the Inquisitor grabbed a spare chair and placed it next to her own by the desk. "Well, let's dig in!" Talia said with fake cheerfulness. This was going to take the whole night, something she was all too aware of. The two women took their seat and got to work.

"Here, you take the lumber, I take the stone work" Talia quipped as she divided the papers between them. Talia dipped her pen into the inkwell and began writing a letter to the quarry workers in Haven, requesting more stone. If this kept up the whole area would become a giant crater. She applied pen to paper and got to work, her hand resting on the sheet as she worked. Suddenly her hand slipped and she smudged the writing, staining her hand in the process.

"Blast it!" Talia exclaimed as she reached for her handkerchief to wipe away the stain. She accomplished little beyond spreading the ink further on her hand, and there was no salvaging the letter she had begun. She crumpled the ruined paper and took a fresh sheet to start over. "Is something wrong?" Lady Montilyet asked as she looked up from her own work. "Oh nothing serious. I just smudged the ink and have to start over" Talia explained and help up her ink stained hand to show her predicament. She then started over on the letter to the quarry master.

"Pardon me, but I think you are holding your pen the wrong way" Josephine said and demonstrated her own technique. She held her hand over the paper, applied the tip of her quill to it and began writing, moving only her fingers as she did so. Talia watched her silently, marvelling at the way the Antivan's fingers were moving over the page. 'Such effortless grace' she thought. She had to admit that penmanship had not been her priority while she lived with the clan. She had been more concerned with hunting and protecting her people as they moved through Ferelden, keeping marauding humans and monsters away from them.

She returned her attention to the present and attempted to emulate Josephine's writing technique. Her results looked more like the scribbles of a child than a work order. She rested her hand on the paper once more to stabilize her hand and once again smudged the ink. She growled in frustration at the mess she had made once again. "This is going to take a while" she sighed as she took another fresh page to start over. "As a hunter for your clan, I'm sure you had more important things to worry about than writing" Lady Montilyet said graciously and Talia gave her a soft smile. "That I did. The Keeper and his first handled most of the writing. I had to make sure everyone stayed fed and protected" she explained.

"Perhaps I could show you? Half of my work is writing after all. I have had a lot of practice" Josephine offered, taking a blank sheet for herself and switching her quill to her other hand. "Here, hold your hand up like this" she instructed as she demonstrated the pose, holding her hand as though she were holding an invisible cup. "Like this?" Talia asked as she imitated the pose. "Yes, now take your pen", the Antivan instructed while she demonstrated "and rest one end where your thumb meets your hand, the other on the first knuckle of your middle finger".

Once again, Talia did as she was told. "Good. Now hold it in place with the tips of your thumb and pointer finger" Josephine continued and once again demonstrated the technique. "Not so tight. Keep your hand relaxed. Your pen will not go anywhere" the adviser continued. "Now, put the tip of your pen to the paper. Only the pen should touch the page."

Talia followed the Antivan's instructions and began to write. Out of habit, her hand came to rest on the paper and once again, she got ink on her hand. "This is an exercise in frustration" she commented as she wiped her hand once more. Lady Montilyet was not so easily discouraged however. She rose from her seat and placed herself next to the Inquisitor, reaching down to grab her hand. "Now now, don't give up. Let me help you" she said gently, correcting Talia's grip on the pen.

Talia jumped at the sudden contact and proximity of the other woman, resisting the urge to pull away. She was not used to people standing so close to her. The other woman seemed oblivious to her discomfort. "Now, only move your fingers to guide the pen." she told her. "There is no need to press so hard on the paper, a light touch will suffice" she almost chided. Slowly, Talia followed the gentle guidance of Josephine's hand, her own tingling at the soft warmth emanating from it.

"I think I got it. Thank you, Lady Montilyet" she said softly, feeling slightly light headed. "You are quite welcome" came the response. Talia watched as her tutor lifter her hand away and saw that she gotten some ink on it. Most likely from Talia's earlier botched attempts. "Oh, it looks like I got some ink on you. Let me get that for you" she said as she took her handkerchief once again and grasped the Antivan's hand with both her own, delicately brushing at the stains.

"I'm sorry. I think only soap and water are going to get rid of that" she apologised, looking up at the human woman. "It is of little matter. I thank you for your assistance" Josephine said softly, her eyes rising to meet Talia's. They held each other's gaze for a moment, their hands still joined. "You are quite welcome" Talia said breathlessly.


End file.
